Camping with a baby: Our tent setup, what we packed, and what we learned

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I got a ton of questions about our tent camping setup with our baby, so I wanted to make a blog post sharing everything we brought and learned. It was funny: shared a quick picture on Instagram Stories, and some people were excited to see what worked for us, while others were quick to point out that we brought a lot of stuff. Look, both are true!

But before we dive in, I want to start with a disclaimer: you do not need any of this stuff.

Babies are resilient and adaptable. What worked for us might not work for you, and vice versa. Our priorities for this trip were comfort, sleep, maintaining some semblance of routine, safety, and learning what worked and what didn't. 

It's also okay to look at this setup and think, "Wow, that's a lot." It is. We are fortunate to have access to this gear, and because we were car camping, we didn't feel any pressure to pack light. I'd rather overpack on a first trip and learn what I can leave behind next time than spend the whole weekend wishing I'd brought something.

My goal in sharing this with you is not to encourage you to buy more stuff. My goal is to help you feel more comfortable and empowered to get outdoors in whatever way makes sense to you and feels good to you.

I’m hyper-independent and also very anxious, so motherhood has been QUITE the journey for me. I’m used to solo adventures where I’m able to be spontaneous and not think too hard about what I pack. Now that the pendulum has swung in the complete opposite direction, I’m faced with a lot of new things—some hard, some delightful.

Our tent camping setup with a baby

For this trip, we used a blackout tent, which ended up being one of the most helpful things we brought. In the middle of summer, our daughter's bedtime is long before sunset, and having a dark space for bedtime and naps made a huge difference. When everything else at camp was exciting to look at, loud, and overstimulating, it was nice to have a calm place to retreat to.

Inside the tent, we had a Pack 'n Play with bassinet attachment, a portable sound machine, a non-WiFi baby monitor, a portable fan, a small camping chair for feeds, a waterproof changing mat, and our sleeping area. 

Pack 'n Play

We're not comfortable cosleeping, and our daughter is used to sleeping in her own sleep space at home. Bringing a Pack 'n Play helped maintain some familiarity and made bedtime feel a little more normal. The bassinet attachment was super nice so we weren’t hurting ourselves leaning over to pick her up/set her down. It also folds up super easily for easy transport!

Blackout tent

If I had to pick one thing that made the biggest difference, it might have been the blackout tent we brought. Especially in the summer, when babies usually go to bed before the sun goes down, having a dark space for naps and bedtime was incredibly helpful. We had a six-person tent which was the perfect size, and I loved being able to stand up in it for rocking her to sleep in a dark, calm environment. I don’t really know how this would have worked if it wasn’t dark or we couldn’t stand up in it, honestly. I’m sure we would have made it work, but I’m really thankful we had this tent already!

Portable sound machine

This was essential. Truly non-negotiable. Campgrounds are noisy for the most part, and the one we were at had almost zero privacy between sites. In the future, I’d like to pick a more remote campground with more privacy for the sake of the other campers, but I digress. The bottom line is this: Kids are playing, dogs are barking, people are talking around campfires, cars are rolling by, etc. The sound machine helped drown that out pretty darn well without disrupting the experience of neighboring campers.

Portable fan

The blackout tent limits ventilation compared to a traditional tent, so a fan was important for airflow and comfort (and safety). It also helped keep the sleeping area a little cooler during warmer parts of the day.

Baby monitor

We use a non-WiFi baby monitor with a long range at home, so we just brought that with us. We plugged the camera into a portable Jackery generator (essentially a big battery station) and were able to sit with family at the neighboring campsite while still keeping an eye on our daughter.

Portable power station

Our small Jackery generator (which is essentially a portable battery station) powered our baby monitor, fan, sound machine, etc. If my breast pump needed to recharge, it would help with that too.

Small camping chair

Having a comfortable place to sit inside the tent for feeding was one of my favorite parts of our setup. I didn’t even think about it until we set everything up, but it ended up being so perfect. We could have sat on the ground or on our mattress pads to feed her, but something about having a comfortable chair just makes all the difference (especially with a bad back).

Baby bouncer and  chair

We brought both a bouncer and a chair that our baby could sit in. My daughter’s favorite place to be is that darn bouncer, so we felt like we had to make room and bring it. But just in general, having safe places to set her down while we cooked, cleaned up camp, or just needed a free hand was incredibly helpful. I have a little camping high chair for her when she’s a bit older.

Small cooler for nighttime bottles

We also packed a small cooler specifically for nighttime bottles and feeds. We had a larger cooler for food, but having one dedicated to bottles meant we weren't digging through a giant cooler at 2 a.m. Cannot recommend that enough! (We weren’t in bear country either, so we didn’t have to worry about animals)

Waterproof changing mat

We laid a waterproof changing pad on top of our memory foam mattresses in the tent for diaper changes. It gave her a comfortable surface to lie on and saved our knees from kneeling directly on the ground. Putting a small blanket on the tent floor made diaper changes so much more comfortable, too. Sometimes it's the little things like that that you don’t really think about until you’re actually there in the moment experiencing it.

Baby camping sleep setup

Sleep was probably our biggest concern going into the trip. 

For daytime naps, we packed a lightweight 1.0 TOG sleep sack since we knew the tent would warm up during the day. It worked perfectly and helped keep her comfortable without overheating.

At night, temperatures hovered around 50-55°F. We packed a warmer 3.5 TOG sleep sack and layered footie pajamas underneath. This ended up being perfect.

We also brought a Morrison sleep sack as a backup if temperatures ended up colder than expected, but didn’t end up using it.

As always, make sure you're following current safe sleep guidelines and dressing your child appropriately for the conditions. It’s better to have them be a bit cold than to overheat!

Other things we packed

Some additional items we brought:

• Toys and teethers

• A board book

• Extra diapers and wipes

• Multiple changes of clothes (she ended up throwing up in the car on the way there and had a blowout the last day, so we used all the clothes we packed)

• Extra milk

• Breast pump

• Empty bottles

• Dish basin for washing bottles and pump parts

• First aid kit

What we learned

Routine is helpful, but flexibility matters more

Camping doesn't look like home, and that's okay. Our daughter stayed awake much longer than she normally would because there was simply too much to look at. Instead of trying to force our normal schedule, we watched her cues and adjusted as needed.

Our baby slept better than we did

One of our biggest anxieties was that she'd wake up crying and disturb everyone around us. Ironically, she slept pretty well. We were the ones lying awake listening for every tiny sound and never really relaxing.

Over-packing was worth it

Normally, I'm all for packing efficiently and I know a lot of people value that. But not for this trip. Since we were car camping, there was no downside to bringing extra gear, and I'm so, SO glad we had everything we needed.

The biggest takeaway

We went into this trip with almost zero expectations, and I REALLY think that helped. We expected things to go sideways. We expected challenges. We expected sleep deprivation. Instead, we had a really lovely weekend. Not perfect. We didn’t sleep great. It was different, yes. But it was also wonderful.

Babies change everything. Everything takes longer. Everything requires more planning. Everything feels a little less spontaneous. But it also brings new joys.

Watching our daughter experience camping for the first time was incredibly special. And now that we've done it once, we're already feeling more confident about the next trip.

My platform is never going to revolve entirely around mom content, but I know a lot of you are trying to figure out how to keep doing the things you love after having kids.

I want to help other people realize that being outdoorsy doesn't end when you become a parent. It just looks different. And that's okay.

Please practice conscious consumerism

Yes, yes, I know this entire post is just sharing STUFF, but I encourage you to be thoughtful with your purchases. You don't need all of this.

If you do want to buy stuff, here's where to start:

• Use what you already have first

• Borrow from friends/family/coworkers

• Rent

• Shop secondhand

• Shop local

I have a way more in-depth guide to affordable outdoor gear on my blog here if you want to learn more!

FAQ: Camping with a baby

Can you camp with a baby?

Absolutely. Plenty of families camp with infants and babies. Start small, keep expectations realistic, and choose a campground close to home for your first trip.

What age can a baby go camping?

Every baby and family is different. Talk with your pediatrician if you have concerns, and consider factors like weather, sleep needs, feeding needs, and access to medical care.

Do you need special baby camping gear?

Not necessarily. Many families successfully camp using gear they already own. Prioritize safe sleep, weather-appropriate clothing, feeding supplies, and a safe place to set baby down.

What's the hardest part about camping with a baby?

For us, it wasn't actually our daughter. It was managing our own expectations and anxiety.

Would we do it again?

Without hesitation. In fact, we're already planning the next trip!